Never Let Me Go
by Captain Anemone
Summary: Songfic: Far Away by Nickelback. When Arabella has a fight with Bill, Jack finds her crashing through his door. Can he forgive her? Rated T to be safe.


**A/N: So, I've been getting a lot of requests for something happy. I hope this is happy enough... it kind of is... I don't know. Hope you all like it!**

_This time, this place_

_Misused, mistakes_

_Too long, too late_

_Who was I to make you wait?  
_

Arabella had come charging through his door, alone, and disheveled. In the dim light of night, he could just make out that she had been crying. The sight should have made him crazy with joy, but instead, he was flooded with irrational worry. What was she doing here? And where was Bill?

"Jack, I- he... It didn't work." Arabella's voice broke while she wouldn't meet Jack's eyes. She looked so pathetic there that he almost scooped her up in his arms, almost. He would have loved to, but she had used him, she had made her mistake. It had been to long, if she had wanted to come back, to apologize, she should have come sooner. Granted, it had only been a year and four months since they had parted, but Jack still felt that she should have made her decision earlier. In fact, a lot earlier. This decision _had_ been made, she _had _decided. On that beach, in that cave, when she ran past him to Bill. It was decided then, long ago, it was just too late.

He had counted the months, the days even, as every minute of the day he was plagued with thoughts of her. He almost obsessed over his sailing duties aboard various ships, keeping his head down, his teeth to his tongue, and his eyes as dry as possible. Because he had been down that road, and once he started, Jack doubted he could stop grieving for her. And yet, here she was, but it was too late now. She had kept him waiting all this time, how dare she? How could she do that? He had been tortured over the loss of her, in agony over the fleeting thought of her hair, the feel of her against him, and her voice. He had missed that voice. Who was she to do that to him?

_Just one chance, just one breath_

_Just in case there's just one left_

_'Cause you know_

_You know, you know_

She moved slowly towards him, knowing that if she went any faster, he would feel cornered. Any slower, and he would have time to think. When she was close enough, Arabella snaked her arm around his back, drawing herself up against his lean frame. A hug, that was all, but it meant more to her than she could say, and she hoped she showed it by burying her face in his shoulder, and by wrapping her other arm tight around his slim waist. She had missed this, she had missed him. That was why she had had that fight with Bill, it had been her fault. Her heart had never belonged to Bill, it belonged right here.

Her breath came long and fluid. She was calm here with him, and she savored it. Another breath, more cherished than the last. She had to treasure this forever, just in case it never came again, in case this was the last time she could feel this way, in his arms.

He must know how she feels because he doesn't let go, and he leans his head to shelter hers with his own. A kind gesture, he must know. He knew.

_That I love you, I have loved you all along_

_And I miss you, been far away for far too long_

_I keep dreaming you'll be with me and you'll never go_

_Stop breathing if I don't see you anymore_

She loved him. She could admit it now. And it was not new, of course not, not by a long shot. She tried to think back, when had she first had these feelings? Was it when he saved her life the first time? Or was it before that? Thinking back, Arabella realized that she had fallen in love with the sparkle of his eyes, the mischief in his grin, and the pure freedom that seemed to embody all around him, in that alley. So long ago, when they had first met. She had loved him then. She had always loved him. God, she had missed him. And now she was here, in his arms. She wanted to hope, she had to dream, that this would last forever. That he would never leave her, that they could be together forever. But all dreams come to an end, and when Jack released her, Arabella felt her heart break. Would she ever see that bizarre hair with a life of it's own again? Would she ever run her hand up his back? She thought she might give her life for the sole chance of staying in his presence for just a little longer.

_On my knees, I'll ask_

_Last chance for one last dance_

_'Cause with you I'd withstand_

_All of it to hold your hand_

She would beg if she had to, she would plead at his feet for the chance to stay with him. One last chance to ask, this was her last shot at a life with him. She knew a life with him would be ruff. I mean with his bad luck coupled with both of their curiosity, there was a hell of an adventure in store for them both. There might be fights, blood, and maybe even death, but she'd go through it all, if only to hold his hand.

_I'd give it all, I'd give for us_

_Give anything but I won't give up_

_'Cause you know_

_You know, you know_

"Jack, please, I'll give anything, I'll do anything. Please, take me back." She whispered into his shoulder, and tears fell freely from her eyes. She really _would _do anything for him. Anything at all.

"You'd give anything?" Jack lifted his head off of hers, leaning back. She could see something icy in his stare, and an unbridled emotion that set her heart ablaze. "Give up." And the spell was broken. Arabella was left with tears rolling down her cheeks, wondering how she had let this happen. He had to know she loved him.

_I love you, I have loved you all along_

_And I miss you, been far away for far too long_

_I keep dreaming you'll be with me and you'll never go_

_Stop breathing if I don't see you anymore_

Now her world was shattered, her last attempt at happiness stepping away from her in the dark. "No, Jack, I won't give up," she managed to choke out between sobs, speaking his name reverently, not wanting to ever hurt him again. Her eyes screwed tight so she wouldn't have to see the look of pity, hate, and maybe even disgust that he would probably show her. She didn't think she could take that. Because she loved him, and she had loved him from the first moment she had seen that smile, and heard that voice. From the first moment he had taken her hand, and said her name. She wanted to hear her name muffled through her own hair, falling out of his parted lips. Her name always sounded so right, so blissfully fitting when he said it. She wanted nothing more than a scenario with him and her, her and him, them. Together, for as long as time would permit. But those were just dreams, and that would never happen now. But just the same, she would no longer be compelled to live after being separated from him.

_I wanted_

_I wanted you to stay_

_'Cause I needed_

_I need to hear you say_

She had so many wants right now, so many needs, her head was swimming with the want to be in his arms again. She wanted him to hold her, she wanted him to stay with his head on her shoulder. And she _needed _to feel him against her, strong and solid. She just needed to hear him say words to her, words that would set her spirit ablaze, and lift it higher than the clouds.

_I love you, I have loved you all along_

_And I forgive you for being away for far too long_

"Belle, I- I've never said this to anyone, and it's hard for me to say it now, but I need you to understand. I love you, and I loved you all along. When you left the _Barnacle_ to sail with your mother, I didn't know what to do. I drank for days, broke things, I didn't know how to live without you there. But then I saw you again, and you were running straight towards me, and for a brief moment, I thought you had felt the same way, and all qualms and hurts you had caused were forgiven. I thought that you finally loved me just as much as I loved you. But no, you went right past me, and there was Bloody Bill Turner, standing there with open arms and a grin on his face that would light up all of Tortuga. You left me Arabella, you left me alone for all that time." Jack's voice broke, and Arabella saw just how hard it must have been for him, just how much he must hate her, and what she must do as a last desperate attempt.

"Jack, I love ye. I think I've loved ye since I first saved your life." Arabella looked Jack straight in the eye as she spoke these words. She was trying so hard to make herself clear, to make herself heard. She was shouting at him in the most powerful way, by staring straight into him.

"From Tornpants." Jack finished with a solemn nod of recollection.

"Torrents, _Torrents_!" She corrected with a giggle. She had missed this so much, _so_ much.

"Belle, I can forgive you for being away for as long as you were, and I will put that behind us like it didn't even happen, but I _can't_ forgive the pain it caused. And I _can't _forgive you for leaving me a second time."

_So keep breathing 'cause I'm not leaving you anymore_

_Believe it, hold on to me never let me go_

There was just one thing she could say to him now, one thing that she had to get off her chest that she had never said to anyone before. But the reason she hadn't said it wasn't because she didn't fl it, but because it was the most binding thing she would ever promise. "Jack, I will _never_ leave ye again. I'm here to stay, ye're stuck with me."

"Oh Belle, you have no idea how much I want to believe that." Jack murmured, his voice sounding more strained and anguished than she had ever before heard it. All in all, he was the classic example of someone tortured. With his head down and tucked sideways into his chest, his eyes looking at her without really seeing her, no doubt remembering his painful months without her, and the heartbreak he probably expected next.

"Believe it." Staring him dead in the eye, she nodded, a small confirming movement, to solidify her commitment as if in stone. "Hold me Jack, please, just hold me."

As Arabella was enveloped into one of the warmest and most caring embraces in her life, she focused hard on the fact that she was his, and he hers. And they were together, finally, after going through hell to get here, they were together. "Never, ever let me go Jack." She whispered in his ear, enjoying the shiver that went down his spine.

_Keep breathing 'cause I'm not leaving you anymore_

_Believe it, hold on to me never let me go_

_Hold on to me, never let me go_

_Hold on to me, never let me go_

Jack buried his face in her soft auburn hair, willing the tears away, willing this to be real. And it was, it was real, he knew it was real. He knew she loved him, and that he loved her back. He could breathe now, because she was here, and she would never leave him again. He believed that with all his heart, and he would hold on to her until her tears stopped coming, and he stopped shaking. He never had really let her go, even when she left him the second time, even after all of the pain he went through, and all of the heartbreak he was faced with, he had never let go of her. She had always been forefront in his mind. And now, she was forefront in his life.

**Disclaimer: I don't own Pirates Of The Caribbean, or any of the characters included in that statement. I also don't own anything from the Jack Sparrow series (duh). Those are all owned by Mr. Big Ears himself, Mickey Mouse! Oh, and Disney (thought I should include that as Mickey is in fact a fictional character and can not **_**really **_**own anything). The song is Far Away by Nickelback, and I don't own that either... I'm not sure who does, I guess Nickelback, or whoever wrote it. Either way, kudos to you! Have a nice day, and I hope this song got stuck in your head! Ta!**

**-An**


End file.
